


Pieces

by buddyroll



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-23 18:21:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9670532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buddyroll/pseuds/buddyroll
Summary: Link is alone for Valentine's Day, and Rhett must decide between his girlfriend and his best friend.Set in 1991 (their eighth grade year).





	

“Aw, c’mon, man. She’s your _girlfriend._ You can’t just get her some cheesy card and call it a day.”

“Link, I already told you: _I don't know_ what Amber wants. As a matter of fact, I don’t know what any girl anywhere could possibly want for Valentine’s Day. Girls are just too complicated, brother.”

Link rolled his eyes and sighed at Rhett, who was barely listening as he hooked a thumb on his belt loop and stared at the Hallmark card he held in his hand. Normally, Link would've ignored someone who seemed so disinterested, but instead of looking away, the smaller boy’s eyes stayed focused on the blond.

“Look: if you wanna show Amber you really like her, then you gotta do somethin’... well, romantic. You gotta go the whole nine yards. Go rendezvous with her for a promenade in the park, have a little picnic… Do you seriously have that much trouble figuring out relationships?”

“Pfft. Says the one who just got dumped,” Rhett retorted.

“Hey! For the record, she didn't _dump_ me. It was a mutual breakup,” Link answered with a bit of an edge to his voice. “And besides,” he added, his tone softening as he turned away from the taller boy’s gaze. “Maybe it was for the better.”

He looked over his shoulder to face Rhett once again, and he was somewhat relieved that the blond hadn't seemed to hear that last part. He didn't want Rhett asking him any questions he wasn’t sure he could answer.

The other half of him, though, wished the tall boy would listen to him more; it was confusing for Link, being so unsure of what he felt for his best friend, and with Rhett spending more and more time with Amber, it was as if the brunet never got his own time with the other boy.

When the two of them were together, neither of the boys talked about their feelings. The topic was always about sports, or school, or girls, and Rhett being the slightly older of the two, it was usually he who dictated where the conversation went. Link rarely got a say in what they discussed, and whenever it was his turn to talk, he was far too shy to say what he was really thinking.

He’d barely considered the idea of telling Rhett something he couldn't even validate, and thus far into their friendship, trying to say something would be too risky. It was enough for Link to make the subtle comments that he made, even if Rhett couldn't be bothered to notice. It overwhelmed him thinking about it, but at the same time, he knew he had to keep his thoughts to himself, and it sucked.

“Link?”

The younger boy looked up at a concerned Rhett,who held a card and pack of candy in his hand, indicating to Link that he had spaced out long enough for Rhett to go to another aisle and come back.

“Link,” Rhett repeated. “Hey, buddy, I thought you’d followed me to the candy aisle. I asked you a question and you didn't answer, so I came back here.”

When the brunet still didn't respond, Rhett crouched down to Link’s height; not in a condescending way, but so to make direct eye contact with the boy. “Hey, Link, I really didn't mean to upset you. It must stink knowing that you and Anna won’t be together for Valentine’s Day.”

“Yeah,” said Link, only now seeing the open arms that Rhett offered as a sign of repentance. It wasn’t often that the two hugged, and Link accepted, knowing that Rhett was sincere with his apology.

The embrace lasted a brief second, and though he wanted to hold on just a moment longer, Link let go of Rhett’s neck when the older boy released him. “Yeah,” he said again. “It’s hard not being with someone you like, even if you know that the two of you can’t be together.”

Another little hint from Link. For a second, he thought he was being too obvious, but he realised that Rhett still didn't get the point of his commentary.

“Alright, buddyroll. Let’s hit the checkout, okay?”

Link nodded and followed Rhett down the greeting card aisle to the front of the drugstore. Rhett paid for the goods, thanked the clerk, and nudged Link to open the door.

The two of them walked outside the pharmacy and headed across the street to the park where Rhett’s mom had agreed to pick the boys up. As they sat in silence on a previously shellacked wooden bench near the edge of the grass, Link shivered through his jacket.

Rhett took note of the younger boy’s reaction to the chilly mid-winter weather, and slid just a bit closer to him, catching the brunet's attention. Link acknowledged the warmth that emanated off of the blond’s body, but when he looked up at the boy, Rhett was faced away, acting as though he hadn’t moved at all.

Link, smiling ever so slightly but breaking the silence nonetheless, used his hands to push himself closer to Rhett, until the two were practically on top of each other. He suppressed the sudden urge to lay his head upon Rhett’s rawboned shoulder.

_This is all you could ever ask of him,_ Link thought to himself. _Just an act of kindness to show you that your friendship isn’t one-sided._

And it was true. Link wanted nothing more than to feel his best friend’s warmth as he sat in the park, waiting to be brought home.

The gestures Rhett had made that day -- the hug in the card aisle, the moving closer to Link -- both had made the smaller boy feel special, that maybe he and Rhett were meant to be together, and though he knew it was merely a vision of ecstasy, he beamed with joy at the idea of the two of them becoming something more.

Through the peripheral of his right eye, Rhett caught a glimpse of the expression on Link’s face, and when he knew the brunet couldn't see him, he smiled to himself. _You’ve done good, Rhett,_ he said without speaking.

They sat there, perched on that glossy wooden bench, huddled close while still avoiding any form of contact. On that Wednesday evening, as the sun faded quickly into the dark North Carolina sky, a sense of happiness lingered in the cool air.  


 

 

When Link awoke the next morning, a heaviness had set into his stomach, and he forced himself to get out of the comfort of his bed.

Since he’d come home the night before, the only thing on his mind was the feeling of euphoria he had felt sitting there in the playground with Rhett. Even if it was something he’d dreamed, it was better than the reality that he had to face; it was February 14th, he was going to school, and he was going to be alone on the one day of the year that was dedicated to love.

Rhett, on the other hand, had long since forgotten the scene from the park; today was February 14th, and he was going to be with Amber on the one day of the year that mattered most.

All day long, all Link could think about was being surrounded by the other junior high couples that flooded the halls, passed notes in the classrooms, and snuck kisses from one another when there were no adults in sight.

It pained him, being alone on Valentine's Day. It hurt even more to know that Rhett, the boy whom Link’s feelings had grown so strong for over the course of an evening, was oblivious to the fact that the younger boy was crushing on him -- not to mention he’d be with _his_ girlfriend for the course of the day.

Rhett, the one sweet person Link wanted more than anything, was simply a forbidden fruit in the garden of life, and the thought that Link wouldn't even get so much as a hug from the boy was enough to send the brunet further into an endless spiral of heartache.

  


 

At lunch, Rhett walked confidently into the cafeteria and scouted around the tables, searching for Amber. He spotted her in the back of the lunchroom, surrounded by a group of giggling girls.

Rhett swung around the end of a table, and popped up behind Amber, wrapping one arm around her waist as he pulled her into a hug. other arm he kept behind his back, trying to conceal the small gift bag and the red envelope.

“Rhett!” Amber laughed gleefully at the sight of the tall boy.

“Hey, Amber,” he replied. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Amber smiled. “You, too,” she replied sweetly. “Where’s Link?” she asked, surprised that the boy wasn't following Rhett around as usual.

Rhett thought for a moment. “Actually… I’m not really sure. I haven’t seen him at all today…”

“Is he still upset about Anna?”

“I brought it up yesterday, unintentionally. He seemed kinda out of it for the rest of the day.”

“Oh. Well, I hope he gets over it.”

_I hope he’s feelin’ alright. He really is a sweet boy; I shouldn't’ve said anything to him._

Something churned inside Rhett, and he was hit with a pang of guilt. But then the guilt turned into sorrow, and the sorrow turned into a desire. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

_Oh my God. How could I have been so blind when it’s been right under my nose the whole time?_

“Amber,” he said grabbing his girlfriend by the arm and pulling her aside. “Amber, I need to talk to you.”

“Rhett… did I say something? What’s wrong?”

A worried look took over Amber’s usually soft brown eyes.

“No, Amber, you didn't do anything… but… you have to promise not to be mad at me.”

“Rhett, I don’t understand… what…?”

Rhett took a deep breath before he began. “I really, _really_ like you, Amber…”

“I like you, too, Rhett,” she answered.

“And… sometimes... when you really, really like someone…” He swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “... Sometimes you miss out on… on other … people… and you might really like them, too, but you’ll never know because you’ve been spending all of your time with the first person --”

“Rhett?”

“-- when all along you should’ve been with the second person, because you never would’ve even fallen for the second person if you and the first person were meant to be with one another… right?”

A tear rolled down Amber’s cheek, but she continued to let Rhett hold her by the arm.

“Amber, you know I like you. But I can’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated as long as I know that there might be someone else in the picture.

“I don’t really know what I'm doin’ right now; this could be the dumbest mistake I’ve ever made, but I gotta trust my gut, Amber. There’s someone else out there… and they need me more than anything right now.” Rhett paused and cleared his throat.

Amber took a moment to hug Rhett around the waist. “Just know that I still like you, Rhett. I’m not mad, and I’ll always be here for you… just in case it doesn't work out with the other person.”

“ _Thank you._ I owe you big time, Amber.” Rhett released her from his hold on her arm, and as he walked away, he remembered the card.

“Hey… I know it’s not much, but… this is for you.”

He pulled the envelope out of the gift bag and handed it to Amber. Then, without turning around, he left the cafeteria.

_I gotta go find Link._

  


 

When Rhett reached the second floor, he stopped. He had checked every room in the school he’d ever seen Link in, except for one: the library.

Rhett knew exactly where Link would be. He walked down the hall to the room with the glass walls.

It was a small space, but there were plenty of books in the rows of shelves to last a lifetime. In the back of the Non-fiction section, cramped into a corner between two perpendicular bookshelves, sat Link, his knees brought up to his chin, his head in his arms.

Rhett made his way over to Link. It was a tight squeeze, as the spacing between the shelves was narrow, but Rhett didn't mind. He sat down next to the brunet, who lifted his head in return.

“Rhett? What are you doin’ here, man? I thought you were with Amber.”

“I was.”

“What happened?”

“We broke up,” Rhett said casually. “No, scratch that; I broke up with her.”

He had Link’s full attention now. “I don’t get it… I thought you like her?”

“I do like her… but I like someone else, too.”

“Oh,” said the younger boy.

“Yeah,” said the blond. “I told her that maybe we aren't meant to be together… because I like this other person more.”

“You do?”

“I do. Actually, I think I might’ve liked them for a really long time, I just didn't know because I’ve never really given them a chance. I think… I think it’s time I gave that person a chance.”

“How do you know you like this person so much more than you like Amber? How do you know you wanna be with them? Link stared at the older boy. He was curious to know what he was thinking.

“Listen, buddyroll. Now, I know I ain't philophobic; I’ve been crushin’ on the ladies since I learned how to walk.”

“...Rhett?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s ‘philophobia’?”

“Philophobia is the fear of falling in love --”

Link laughed and looked down at his feet. “Okay, Rhett,” he whispered.

“Link… there’s a lot of things I want now… that I didn't used to…”

“... Like what?”

“Like every time I look at you, I see more than my best friend. I see someone who loves me for who I am, someone who never fails to make me smile, and I couldn’t ask for more from anyone... I only want you.”

The smaller boy blushed. “You really mean that, Rhett?”

Rhett laughed. “Yeah, buddyroll, I do.” He pulled the gift bag out from behind his back and handed it to Link.

“I thought this was supposed to be for Amber?”

“It was, but I mean, we’re not together anymore, so… Besides. I thought you might appreciate it more than her.”

Link opened the bag and pulled an orange package out of the pink tissue paper.

“Reese's Pieces,” the brunet said, smiling. “That’s what you bought at the drugstore yesterday?”

“Flip it over.”

Link turned the package over in his hands. On the back side, in Sharpie, were the words, “ _I’d fall to pieces without you.”_

Rhett pulled a Sharpie out of his pocket. “I didn’t write that for Amber,” he said.

The younger boy reached up and wrapped his arms around the blond’s neck, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Rhett was surprised, and in response to the peck on his cheek, he cupped his hand around Link’s jaw, pulling the boy closer to him.

As their lips met, Rhett’s other hand traveled up the back of Link’s neck, cradling his head.

The brunet played with the older boy’s hair in return, gently and playfully tugging him deeper into the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, both boys grinned sheepishly, resting their foreheads against the other.

“ _I love you, Rhett.”_ It was a whisper, but to the blond, it was the loudest noise he’d ever heard, and it played over and over in his head like a song on repeat.

“ _I love you too, buddyroll.”_

  


···

  


A jar full of colorful round candies sat on the island in the kitchen. Rhett stood on one side of the counter, placing down his mug of tea. He tied an orange ribbon with a tag around the neck of the jar, and finished the bow just as Link entered the room.

“Rhett, you really didn't have to get me anything.”

“Just read the tag,” said Rhett, smiling.

“ _35 years ago, I told you I’d fall to pieces without  you. 35 years later, I still would. Happy Valentine's Day. Forever yours, Rhett.”_

Link looked up and smiled.

“ _I love you, Rhett.”_

35 years later, and the words were still music to Rhett.

 

_“I love you too, buddyroll.”_

  


**Author's Note:**

> This one's kinda all over the place. I'm sorry. I meant to post this before Valentine's Day (obviously) but stuff happened and I was rushing to get it done, and now here I am, finally posting at 1:22 a.m. the day after Valentine's Day. This fic is a lot longer and a bit different than my other ones, but hey, who's gonna judge me? I hope it wasn't too choppy/ confusing for y'all (it's really just a sloppy oneshot).
> 
> Thanks for leaving comments/ kudos and thanks for being your Mythical Best!


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